Anna Buyarski of Atlanta, Ga. has always been able to get excited about studying Latin. But being able to pair a Classical Languages major with her Psychology studies at a liberal arts institution like Wake Forest University, Buyarski says she’s ultimately expanded her worldview while studying what she loves.
Buyarski discovered her passion for studying Latin language in high school. Coming to Wake Forest with several credits in a discipline she simply enjoyed studying, she says deciding to move through the remaining courses for her major was easy.
“Sometimes I almost categorize it differently from my other classes in my head,” Buyarski said. “I’m like ‘Okay, I have my other classes, and then Latin.’”
Buyarski says the mental differentiation that helped her recognize what major she wanted to pursue is important for all students. Even while working towards a separate degree, she says it’s important to love what you’re learning to eventually find meaning in your major.
“I think a lot of people, especially at Wake [Forest], tend to think about picking their major based on career opportunities — which is totally fair,” Buyarski said. “But if you are doing that and you don’t enjoy your major at all, then what’s the point?”
Having fun while learning afforded Buyarski the chance to learn about Roman culture and values and discover new perspectives on the modern world. She described learning about Roman values and race relations in her Classics Beyond Whiteness course, and understanding how many Roman figures were falsely depicted as white.
That practice, Buyarski explains, has now cultivated a modern-day perception of Rome as a white or European culture, an issue she says relates to today’s issues of race relations.
“I think more people besides just Latin majors should take that class because it’s super, super informative,” she said.
Buyarski says those discussions have ultimately guided her toward pursuing a career with nonprofit organizations. Talking about modern-day issues in a historical context has made her conscious of issues she now wants to deal with.
“In reading ancient texts … there’s a lot of social issues that we get into and talk about, and, like, social inequality is always a big discussion,” Buyarski said. “And so I think maybe just kinda being exposed to that and those convos kinda, like, brought it more to the front of my mind.”
